Good time to be live

If you’ve been out on a date or have just been chilling with your friends at a restaurant, cafe or pub in the city in the past few months, chances are you’ve frequently come across a live band playing in a corner.

Live bands have been making a strong comeback in the city and with a plethora of venues opening up in the past couple of years, times are only getting better for the city’s musicians.

Singer Pranati Khanna during a live gig

“Nowadays every place has live music, and this year we’re seeing a revival of both acoustic and electric shows. The number of venues that have opened up in the city has made a huge difference,” says Arun Reuben, who actively plays across the city with his band The Black Sheep.

Pranati Khanna of The Ragamuffins agrees, adding that the quality of the venue also makes a huge difference with the success of live music nights. She says, “The people who run the venue and the way they promote place also play an important role. And I find open air venues always do better than closed venues.”

The boom has meant that musicians in the city now actually see music as a viable career option, with top quality artistes vying for spots to play at in the city. One the city’s oldest bands, Alter Egoz has been doing this for a while, and band member Vijay Vadrevou thinks it’s great for Hyderabad. “Most of the venues now want a two-three piece kind of band. And there a few decent acts in town now, and I think it’s a win-win for both. It’s not too much of money for a venue to spend and musicians get a lot of exposure and income,” he opines.

More acts means more competition, but acts like Pranati see it as a sign that Hyderabad’s heading in the right direction: “Now, when people come from Mumbai or Bengaluru, they’re shocked to see how good the scene is here. We’re pretty much on par with any other metros in India. I think 2016 will prove to be a good year for music!”